Fastening device



June 29 1926.

T. H. WlTTLlFF FASTENING DEVICE Filed Jpne '7, 1924 INVENTOR.

7260670111 fl U2 l /.77

Y BY

A TTOR i the elements thereof rigidly together.

Patented June 29, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE H. WTTTLIFF, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FASTENING DEVICE.

Application filed June 7, 1924. Serial No. 718,507.

This invention relates to a fastening device. More particularly it comprises a fastening device which may be readily applied to the corners of framed'structures to l ifilld e device is also especially adapted for application to chairs,

of furniture.

Corner connections of framed structures not infrequently require elaborate reinfore ing and cross-bracing. This. is particularly true of certain articles of furniture. It is well known that chairs, after a certain period of use, tend to develop lost motion at the points of-connection of the various members, which, eventhough it does not reduce the safety of the chair, makes the same uncomfortable to sit upon because of the lack of rigidness. Chairs used in ublic places, such as hotels, restaurants, 0 cc buildings, railroad dining cars, club rooms and similar ublic places where the furniture is subected to hard use and sudden changes in temperature, frequently are found to be shaky and unstable. In most instances the glue used 'insupporting the joints loses its effectiveness and it has been found necessary to have such furniture receive frequent attention and expensive repairs. In this -manner, much of the furniture in a large establishment is unavailable for use for extended periods of time, and the expense of keepin the furniture in repair is no inconsiderab e item., v

It has been found that by using an improved form of bolt rigid corner connections can be made in framed structures, and 'also that by supplying an adjustable brace immediately beneath the seat of such articles of furniture as those referred to, it is possi ble to keep the various members thereof firmly' united and remove all chance of the development of loose joints therein.

The principal object of the invention ac-v cordingly, is to provide an improved form of corner fastening for framed structures. Another object is to obviate the difliculties mentioned in connection with articles of furniture and the like, and provide an adjustable means which may be placed under greater tension from time to time to take up any lost motion which may develop in articles of the character mentioned when subjectedto hard usage; A further object of the invention is to provide an improved corner bolt to be inserted through the legs beds, tables, and like articles of a chair, and an improved connecting-device to be secured at the inner end thereof.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

side of a chair to which a furniture brace made in accordance with the invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the bolt and adjustable terminal element used in forming a part of the furniture brace; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the terminal element shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a corner bolt equipped with an improved form of terminal element; Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the corner bolt applied to a bentwood chair; and Fi 6 is a detail view showing the bolt applied to a modified form of corner construction.

While the device has been shown as applied to a chair, it is to be understood that it is not to limit the invention to such use,

as it is broadly applicable to various framed structures. v

As is clearly shown in Fig. 1, the chair 1, or other similar article of furniture, has each of its corner posts provided with a hole positioned at a level slightly below the level of'the chair seat and extending diagonally from the outer to the inner corner of said posts. Through these holes bolts 2 are inserted, said bolts having heads 3 with diagonally related sides inwardly inclined to said shank, the inner sides of which are adapted to contact with the sides of the chair legs at the outer corners adjacent the holes through which the shanks of said bolts are engaged. The inner ends 4 of said holes are llO vided with a central screw-threaded aper- 60 To the accomplishment of the foregoing 25 action of the turn-buckle.

. tral screw-threaded apertures adapted to be engaged upon thejthreaded portion of the shank of the bolt. When thebolts are applied to thecorner posts of the chair and the terminal elements are secured to the threaded inner ends thereof, the tension wires may be attached to the respective terminal elements. These tension wires 15 are preferably provided with loops 16 at one end and with several links of a chain 17 at the other end. The chain links may be engaged upon the terminal element after the central portion of the respective w1res is passed about the end members 18 of the central turn-buckle 19, used to apply the necessary' tension to the brace. The several links of the chain permit enough latitude of adjustment to remove all slack from the tension wires and thus increase the range of When a terminal member of the type shown in Fig. 4: is used, the links of the chain must be applied thereto before the outer member is engaged upon the screwthreaded portion of the bolt. With this form... of terminal element a very high degree of tension may be applied to the tension wires without binding the terminal members u on the bolt so that the same can not be free y adjusted as desired.

For use upon. I bentwoo'd furniture a slightly modified form of construction, such as is shown in Fig. 5, may be used. In such instance the inner face of the bolt-head 21 is curved to fit against the curved face of the corner post 22, and a nut 23, and washer 24;, are used to draw the post and circular seat frame 25 together. A terminal element 11 is then mounted upon the threaded inner end of the bolt to serve as a point of attachment for-the brace wires.

the threaded end of the shank 42 of the bolt and bears against' a washer 43 placed against the inner face of the corner brace member. When a corner fastening bolt with its accessory parts is applied to each corner of a framed structure, such as a chair, bed, table, or the like, the tightening of the nuts at the respective corners serves to produce a veryrigid structure, even without the use of the brace wires and turn-buckle. The addition of the latter features makes the structure so firm as to withstand the most severe usage as though it were solid.

It should be noted that the fastening bolts and braces are preferably applied in a plane centrally of the horizontal supporting frame members, and thus tend to maintain an even tension against said posts so that they will remain in their original vertical alignment. When applied to chairs the brace will lie in a horizontal plane centrally of the supporting side members of the seat, immediately beneath the seat proper, and in this position will be concealed from View.

The only part of the device not usually concealed beneath the furniture or other framed structure will be the bolt-heads. These, however, are inconspicuous, and when slightly countersunk and painted to match the adjacent wooden surfaces can scarcely be detected upon close inspection. The bolt-heads may be made ornamental when the style of the article to which theyv are applied calls for such decoration.

Other. modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In an article of the'characte'r described, the combination of a plurality of bolts adapted to be applied respectively to the.

corner posts of a frame structure, a fastening memberadjustably secured to the inner end of said bolts, a pair of tension wires adapted to have their respective ends secured to the terminal members of respective pairs of said bolts, and means connecting the central portions of said tension wires for varying the tension thereof.

2. In an article of the character described, thecombination of a plurality of bolts provided with inwardly faced angular heads adapted to be applied respectively to the corner posts of a framed structure, with the angle portions of said heads resting against the outer faces of said corner posts adjacent the outer corner line thereof, a fastening member adjustably secured vtt) the innerend of said bolts, 2. pair of tensionwires; adapted to have their respective ends secured to. the terminal members .of respective pairs of'said bolts, and means connecting the central portions of said tension wires for varying the tension thereof.

3. In an article of the character described, the combination of a plurality of bolts adapted to be applied respectively to the corner posts of a framed structure, a fastening member adjustably secured to the inner end of. said bolts, a pair of tension wires each having a loop at one-end and a pair of chain links at the opposite end thereof, said loops and chain links beingengaged with the terminal members of respective pairs of said bolts, and means. connecting the central portions of said tension wires for varying the tension thereof.

4. In an article of the character described, the combination of a plurality of bolts adapted to be applied respectively to the corner osts of a c central y of the. seat supporting members, a fastening member adjustably secured to the inner end of saidbolts, a. pair of tension wires each havin a loop at one end and a pair of chain links at the opposite end thereof, said loops and chain links beingengaged with the terminal members of respective pairs of said bolts, and means connecting the central portions of said tension wires for varying the tension thereof.

' 5. A fastening bolt comprising a shank, a screw-threaded section at one end of the shank, a head on the opposite end of said shank 'havin diagonal side members inclined towards said shank, and a terminal member having a body portion and substantially parallel end portions angularly disposed with respect to said-body'portion, one of which is provided with a screwthreaded aperture engaging the screwthreaded section of the shank of said bolt and the other of which is apertured to engage air in a horizontal plane there'over, for adjustment longitudinally thereof.

6. A fastening bolt comprising a shank, a screw-threaded. section at one end of said shank, a head having diagonal side members inclined toward said shank at the end opposite-said threaded portion, and a terminal member having angularly disposed ends arranged arallel to each other and each threade y engaged upon the shank of said boltfor adjustment longitudinally thereof.

7. In an article of the character described,

the combination of a plurality of fastening thereof and the other of which is adapted to engage a tensioning member, and tension means disposed centrally of said frame structure and connecting with each of said terminal members for simultaneously tension through said bolts agains e ex terior surfaces of said corner osts.

Signed by me, this 23rd day 0 May, 1924.

THEODORE HIWITTLIFF.

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